Evidence for Compartmentalization of Conjugates of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid in Soybean Callus Tissue

Soybean Glycine max L. Merrill var. Amsoy 71 root callus tissue labeled with [1-(14)C]2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) which was subsequently incubated for 24 hours in the absence of 2,4-D, released considerable amounts of label into the media. These results led to an examination of the efflux of 2,4-D and 2,4-D metabolites during a 6-hour time period. Fifty% of the free 2,4-D was lost in 15 minutes and 99% in 6 hours. After 6 hours, only about 48% of the ether-soluble fraction (mainly the glutamic and aspartic conjugates) and about 33% of the aqueous-soluble fraction (mainly hydroxylated glycosides) effluxed from the tissue. Neutral red efflux from stained callus tissue was enhanced only 5% above the control by treatment with 7.5% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and 50% with 20% DMSO. Similar soybean callus tissue preincubated with [1-(14)C]2,4-D and subsequently incubated with H(2)O, 7.5% DMSO, and 20% DMSO was examined for efflux of (14)C label. DMSO similarly enhanced the efflux of the ether and aqueous soluble conjugates.DMSO concentrations of less than 10% did not damage the vacuolar membranes which also has been reported with cultured tobacco cells (Delmer 1979 Plant Physiol 64: 623-629). From these data, it seems that the 2,4-D metabolites are located in a compartment of the cell and presumably the vacuole.